To ask what age you consider to be socially acceptable to have a baby these days?!

[campino]

I'm currently pregnant with my first and from chatting with my 24yo sister today I was shocked when she told me how many of her school friends have had babies of their own already. Not a bad thing by any means but thought it'd be interesting hearing your opinions on what age it goes from "OMG 'X' is pregnant" to "how lovely 'X' is pregnant!"

Surely it depends on the social circle. All of my friends went to university and used double protection to ensure they didn't get pregnant as it would have been seen as a disaster on so many levels. Most graduated at 21/22 then went on to another degree or started a career. None were married before 25. And it would have been "socially acceptable" to be pregnant without being married simply because of all the protection and stability marriage provides. The earliest baby born to any of my friends was 27 and that seemed young. The oldest mum was 42. Most of my friends wanted a career/marriage/house bought before they would entertain children. And all that takes time to put in place.

25-40.

But most people aren't ready, financially or otherwise, to have children even at 25 nowadays. And though women may be able to have children over the age of 40, I think the risks are still too great to make it a good idea.

I was 27 when I had DD1 and 29 when I had DD2. I was by no means the first in my social circle.
I was a bit OMG when my friend got pregnant at 18, but she has always been a fantastic mum.

As long as you are over 18 (not in school anymore) I think any age is fine as long as you are in a stable living situation. Had my first at 23 and second at 26.

I'm married with a mortgaged house, both work.

You could have someone older who is considered more 'socially acceptable' age wise, who still lives with parents, doesn't work, isn't in a stable relationship.

She isn't important. Surprised at how many people on here would consider me too young.

At 28 I was very young in my area at all my antenatal/baby groups. Most mums were 33-37. I dont know anyone who had a baby before 27, accept my brothers ex girlfriend who had 2 by the time she was 21 and is a fantastic mother, so no judgement here on age.
My mum was an older mum and she was fucking terrible.

Pregnancy is never "socially unacceptable". Its not the Victorian age

That depends on where you live. Where I live, in the most backwards corner of the UK, a huge section of the population would consider it socially unacceptable to be pregnant if you're not married, regardless of age.

Where I live, in the most backwards corner of the UK I jumped to the really awful conclusion that you are talking about NI. But that probably applies to other areas.

MrsTerryPratchett yes, you're right!

I didn't want to be

Well, I suppose I'm always a bit at the girls who have babies before they're 16, primarily because of the legality of the situation. And anyone who has one in their 50s bothers me slightly, but mostly because of the chances of them dying while their child is still young.

My mother had me at 23 - that seemed normal and fine back then.
I had my 2 at 40 and 45 (exigencies of not meeting DH until I was already 37) and that isn't that abnormal now (well, 45 is a bit, I suppose!)

Age is immaterial.

Some people should never have children at any age......

Amazing how things have changed since I had mine in the 1980s. I was 24 with number one, married and a house owner. I was very average then.

Several pp have said 25-45 is not wow but 45 is pushing it isn't it? Especially for a first baby? I'd say wow about 45. My DM was 44 and our generation gap was immense.

Most of my DC and friends seem to start having babies at about 30. I think everything is later as they mostly go to university and buying property is so hard.

Weird. I'm 23 having my first child and I don't think it's socially unacceptable at all?

I don't think anyone should be making it a concern of what is a socially unacceptable age to have children, as long as that women is happy and comfortable.
I know women even younger than me that are better mums than those who had their children within the 'acceptable' 25-45 age group.

People need to stop being so judgey and crack on.

Nowadays, for most people, under 25 is crazy (unless with a much older partner, or they have money). People that age often don't have a house, or a decent career, and women who get pregnant at that age often end up years before having both. Call me old fashioned but I don't think anyone should have a child unless they can financially support them themselves.

30-40 if single. 20-50 married couples/civil partners.

I was a few weeks short of 23 when I had my first dd. I think I'm a socially acceptable person. Surely it's about "am I ready to have a baby" rather than "oh but I'm only 22, what would the neighbours say!?"

I was a few weeks short of 23 when I had my first dd. I think I'm a socially acceptable person. Surely it's about "am I ready to have a baby" rather than "oh but I'm only 22, what would the neighbours say!?"

Nice bit of misogyny there newdaddie

I think it partly depends on if you think it was planned or an accident!

Times do change my parents had me and my sister in the early 70's my mum was 29 when she had my sister and 31 when she had they seemed like much older parents compared to my peers I was in my 30,s when my children were born 33 and 36 and that wasent unusual amongst my friends.

Nice bit of misogyny there newdaddie

Ummm? Where exactly?

I get the feeling that the only part of my post that you actually read surfturf was my male sounding username....

@newdaddie - does that apply to men too? If not why not?

We had 5 pregnant 16(ish) girls in my year at school. I didn't have my first until 41.

I was at the younger end in my social circle having my first aged 28, and one of the younger ones in my antenatal class. For a while I later lived in a town where the local newspaper carried a report on the previous year's births and it gave the average age of all the mothers - not just the first-timers - as 28. This was quite a, not deprived area exactly, but one where general levels of education weren't enormously high, and a part of the country (not UK) where people had traditionally had children young, so not really surprising.

For me personally, 21-22 is where it stops being OMG, and late 40s starts getting surprising. I had mine at 28, 30 and 38, and while I've seen a few 'is 35 too old?' threads on here, I didn't feel too old in the slightest having my last.

Now age of marriage - I was the youngest in my circle when I married at 23 (dh was 25). The next youngest was 24. Most were late 20s at least, and many already had dc or a dc on the way.